Tablet-phone combo: Asus announces 7-inch Fonepad at $249

New Delhi: Asus announced Fonepad, a 7-inch tablet with 3G voice and mobile data for all the features of a smartphone. It is powered by a new Intel Atom Z2420 processor and runs Android 4.1.

It has an HD display with IPS technology for wide viewing angles. The 7-inch screen features 10-point multi-touch, and a 1280 x 800 HD resolution.

Fonepad is available with 8GB or 16GB of storage, and also has an SD card slot for up to 32GB of additional storage. It sports a front 1.2-megapixel for easy video chat and an optional rear 3-megapixel autofocus camera with 720p HD video recording. It has 1GB RAM.

Fonepad is available with 8GB or 16GB of storage, and also has an SD card slot for up to 32GB of additional storage.

Fonepad can also be used for voice calls using the built-in noise-cancelling digital microphone or a Bluetooth headset - and with just one mobile data plan to pay for, running costs are much lower than a separate smartphone and 3G tablet.

"The incorporation of 3G mobile data with full telephony support, makes the Fonepad the perfect combination of a tablet and phone in one single device," said Jonney Shih, ASUS Chairman.

Asus Fonepad and accessories will be available from March 2013. Prices start from €219 for the 8GB Fonepad with rear three-megapixel camera. According to Engadget, Asus also confirmed a US dollar price of $249 at MWC. The exact pricing and specifications will vary by market.